


Protect

by Takeitawaypenny



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Central Park, Cold, Gen, Sickness, Sleepy Peter Parker, Subways, fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 16:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16622390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takeitawaypenny/pseuds/Takeitawaypenny
Summary: Or 5 times people were overprotective of Peter, 1 time he was overprotective of everyone.





	Protect

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody! I’m back with something I’m proud of! Please tell me if you like it!! 
> 
> ~Penny

1

Peter, Ned and Mj were all sitting together on a bench in Central Park. It was the first real relaxing day they had together in weeks and they were perfectly content to just sitting in the fresh air. Of course like all good things it had to come to an end. 

*Ring ring* 

“Hey May! What’s up?” Peter asks. Mj and Ned could hear May’s muffled reply. But they couldn’t pick up much information from it. 

“No it’s fine May. No need to be sorry. I’ll just catch a bus or something...... yeah. I love you too. See you later” Peter puts down the phone and turns to his best friends.

“I’m sorry bout that. May just called to tell me she can’t pick me up from work tomorrow.”

“What time do you get done?” Mj asks. 

“10:30. I think I’ll just take the subway.” 

“I’m picking you up.” 

“What? Why? I’ll be fine. It’s only a few blocks from the...” Peter tries arguing but is cut off by Mj’s glare and Ned’s words. 

“Just give in, you know no matter what you say she’s going to get her way in the end. Just save some breath and be compliant.” 

“The man has got a point Parker. It would be of poor judgment to disagree with me.” 

“Fine. You can pick me up. But please don’t make a big deal out of it.” 

“I would never.” Mj says mocking offense. She then gets up and pulls both boys with her. “If it’s alright with you guys. I vote we take this party to Peter’s house. My butt needs to be reacquainted with his comfy couch.” 

Mj leads the way out of the park and through New York back to Peter’s apartment. The whole way Peter complains to Ned quietly about his rights and how they shouldn’t let Mj boss them around.

*****

Peter was just walking into work when he got a text. 

“I’ll be there at 10:30 sharp. I’ll tell you when I get here and then you will meet me outside.” 

“Okay mom.” Peter texts back. He swears if he didn’t love her he would hate her. With that handled he walks into the pet shop. 

He likes the job, but the neighborhood isn’t the best. The puppies make up for it though. There is nothing better than taking care of puppies all day. 

***** 

His shift goes smoothly and he actually gets out fifteen minutes early. Now he can mess around with his new camera outside for a couple minutes. 

That is until he hears. 

“Peter Benjamin Parker! You get your scrawny ass in this car right this minute.” 

Oh great what did he do this time. Mj looks pissed. Like someone ate the last cheese danish at decathlon pissed. 

“You have three seconds, Parker. I’m not kidding I will drag you in here.” 

‘Time to face the music’ 

“Hey girl. What’s up?” Peter greets awkwardly as he slides into her car. 

“Do not ‘what’s up?’ Me you knew I didnt want you out here alone this late. I told you to wait for me.” Peter can see her concern mixed in with her anger. That’s the part that makes him feel so guilty. 

“I was just taking some pictures, besides I’m Spider-Man it’s not like I can’t handle myself.” 

“It’s not that I don’t think you can protect yourself...” she trails on as she makes a turn at the next stoplight. 

“Then what’s it about. Because honestly I don’t know why you are so angry right now.” Maybe that was the wrong thing to say, because right now Mj looks like she’s on the verge of tears. 

“You know how I didn't like the idea of you working in this area?” Mj asks. 

“Yeah But I told you I’d be careful.” 

“Well sometimes careful’s not good enough!” Now Peter realizes she’s not really talking about him.

“What happened?” Peter asks quietly. 

“My Mom uhh... she was walking around here one night a couple years ago. And some guys came up behind here and ‘asked’ her for her purse. Well my Mom has lived here her whole life, she wasn’t giving it up without a fight. She ended up socking the main guy in the face pretty hard. Well I guess his minions didn’t like that to much because by the end of it. She had a few broken ribs, a black eye and a concussion. Really shook us kids up a bit. But she was fine in the end so I guess it turned out alright.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Just maybe next time your dear ol’pal Mj tells you something just do it. Sometimes I just need the peace of mind.” 

“I will. I’m too scared not to.” He laughs. 

“That’s how it should be.” Mj says as she pulls up in front of Peter’s apartment. “See ya later, loser. Try not to get into trouble.” 

“Goodnight Mj.” Peter replies as he hops out of the car and towards the front stoop. 

She watches him so she can make sure he’s inside. And if she waits to leave until she can see the light flick on through his bedroom window then that’s her business. 

2

Peter and Ned had just finished school for the day. It was just any other ordinary day in October. Currently Peter and Ned were celebrating the fact that decathlon got cancelled. Now they could spend the whole day watching movies in Ned’s apartment. Something that had been planning to do a while now, but never really had time to. 

They had just reached the exit to the school building. And when they stepped outside Peter immediately started shivering. East coast weather was so unpredictable these days he figured he would be fine without a coat. Wrong! 

He couldn’t hide his teeth chattering for more than two minutes as the boys made their way down the front steps and across the streets. 

“Peter, do you want to borrow my coat?” Ned asked as he looked Peter up and down. The poor kid was only wearing jeans and a hoodie, branded with the Midtown Tech logo across the front. 

“No I’m fine it’s not even that cold out. Plus your apartment is only like five blocks from here.” Peter replied with a shrug. 

“Peter take my coat. I really don’t need it.” Ned says taking off his coat and holding it out to Peter. Peter looks at it then shakes his head no. He can’t take it from Ned then he’ll be cold. 

“No really I don’t need it. It’s not like I have spider DNA that prevents me from warming up.” Ned says with a laugh. 

“What are you talking about?”

“Spiders can’t thermoregulate. That’s why you’re always cold. I thought you knew that.” Ned says with a confused look. 

Peter has a look on his face that makes it seem like Ned just told him all the secrets of the universe. 

“Oh my god! Is that why I always shiver for hours after I get out of the shower!?! And why when I drink ice water I feel like I’ve been thrown in a frozen lake!” Ned nods. “And why your always pushing me to dress warm and giving me extra blankets when I sleep over!?!” 

Ned just keeps nodding. Peter is practically jumping up and down in excitement. Ned just wishes he would take his coat already. 

“This makes so much sense! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. I wonder how else I’m affected by spid...” Ned shoves his coat around Peter and zips it up so his arms are trapped at his sides. “Uhh thank you. Like I was saying, do you think there is anything else about me that is spidery.” Peter asks Ned. 

“I don’t know. I heard spiders don’t like peppermint.” 

“Oh my gosh. That too! Ever since the spider bite I can’t even go near peppermint. I thought I just developed an allergy. But this is so much cooler.” 

“Pete, How is this cooler?” 

“I don’t know it just is.” Peter replies as he sticks his arms out through the sleeves of Ned’s coat. They cross the street and Peter flinches when a car honks, when they fail to make it across the street before the light turns green. 

“Can you please pick up the pace. I don’t want you to get sick. When spider get to cold they hibernate, I don’t want to know what happens to human/spider hybrids when they get too cold.” 

“Nedward. Stop being such a worry wart I’ll be fine.” 

Achoo! 

“See now you’re getting sick.” 

“I’m not sick it’s just allergies.” 

Cough. Cough. 

“You’ve never had allergies before. And you just coughed.” 

“Ned I’m fine let’s keep walking. I don’t want YOU to get sick.” 

“Peter!!” 

Peter runs away before Ned can yell at him. 

 

3 

Turns out Ned was right. Which is why Peter is now wrapped up in the warmest blanket May could find, and curled up on the couch. 

Peter was just happy it was May’s day off because he really hates being alone when he is sick. This morning when May declared he was ill he wanted to argue. But now he’s glad he didn’t because he feels like crap and that’s an understatement. 

His head feels all clouded, he can’t get warm and everytime he goes to stand up he gets so dizzy that he goes right back down again. 

The real problem though is May. She is using this extra time with Peter, when he can’t swing away to baby him and lecture him on taking care of himself. 

The brief breaks she gave Peter when she decided he needed to rest weren’t enough and now here he laid, on their old threadbare couch. While May drones on about the importance of rest and selfcare. 

“Peter are you even listening to me?” Peter mumbles a quiet ‘uh huh’ into his pillow. That seems to be enough for May because she continues. 

“As I was saying, you really need to take better care of yourself Peter, some nights I don’t hear you climb through your window until 3 o’clock at night. I know you’re young and resilient but it’s going to catch up to you. And I think it did today. I can’t remember the last time you were sick and now all of a sudden you can barely walk on your own.” May takes a deep breath and moves to sit at the end of the couch. She lifts Peter’s legs up and slides underneath them. When she finally gets comfortable she starts rubbing legs in a comforting motherly way.

“I’m just worried about you. I know you want to save the world and all that, but you have to take some time for yourself. There will always be old ladies that need help to cross the street or muggers to be stopped. But you, my 16 year old nephew. Can take a break sometimes and just hang with his friends or his incredibly amazing aunt.” She says with a smirk. 

Peter rolls over so he can speak to her more clearly. 

“May I take a perfectly reasonable amount of time for myself.” 

“Oh really, because last I heard you haven’t even been responding when Mr. Stark messages you.” 

Busted. 

“He’s such a tattletale.” Peter replies grumpily. 

“Oh shush. He just worries about you. Like I do.” 

“I’m sorry May, I’ll try to do better. But I can’t just leave the world hanging. So I can go to the movies or out to dinner.” 

“Everything’s not up to you. There are police and other Heros out there. You deserve breaks just like anyone else.” May reaches for the remote on the coffee table, and turns on the tv. “Now, I’m going to watch friends while you take a nap and when you wake up I’m going to make you some soup.” 

“But..” 

“Nope, no talking go to bed.” 

Peter rests his head back on his pillow and pulls the blankets up so they are covering him. Just his eyes peek out. He falls asleep to Joey trying to speak French. 

4 

“Okay, Pete. I think it’s about time we take a lunch break.” Mr. Stark says as he stands up from the workbench he was sitting at. They had been working all morning, since Peter had off school for a teachers workshop. 

“Just ten more minutes I’m almost done.” Peter replies. He’s so close to finishing his project. He can’t just quit now. 

“Fine. But that’s it, I’m not going to get in trouble with your Aunt because you decided to be stupid.” 

“I’m never stupid. Distracted maybe.” 

“Whatever you say kid.” Mr. Stark’s phone rings. “I’m sorry I have to answer this I’ll be back in a second.” He says hurriedly while he walks out of the lab. 

Peter is perfectly okay with that. Maybe he’ll forget all about the whole lunch thing. 

When he comes back a few minutes later Peter is surprised to see that Mr. Stark looks a little uh-panicked. 

“I’m really sorry Peter. But that was just a call from the police chief. Apparently there’s a situation downtown that they can’t really handle.” He moves so he can look Peter in the eyes. “And I know you are probably going to want to help but...” 

“What do you mean probably want to help. You don’t expect me to just sit here, while you’re off fighting god knows what, when I can help.” 

“I know that you can, but I’m just not comfortable with you coming this time. So you are just going to stay here.” He says grabbing Peter by the shoulder and plopping him down on a couch in the corner of the lab. “And watch some cartoons or something. I’ll be right back and then we can eat some lunch, Okay?”

“What? No! I can’t, you know I can’t! You have to let me go!” Peter argues as he tries to get away from Mr. Stark’s hold on his arms. 

“I know bud, but you’ll just have to sit this one out.” 

“You can’t do this, I’m not... you’re not in charge of me. I’m not some little kid you can just boss around.” Peter attempts to get up again, but is blocked by an hand on his chest. 

“I know I’m not, but I can’t in good conscience let you fight this time. I’m sorry but you are staying here. No buts.” Now Peter can see Mr. Stark is really done. But that doesn’t mean he is. 

“That’s not your choice to make! I’m practically an adult! If you really cared about me you would see why I can’t just wait here...” 

“Hey! You can accuse me of a lot of things, but not caring about you isn’t one of them.”

Well now he really looks pissed now. 

“Whatever. I won’t go, but I’m not staying here. I’ll see you later, Tony.” Peter says as he marches angrily out the door. 

5

Today was not a good day. Peter had a headache his ribs hurt from being shoved into a desk by Flash. And on top of it all he hadn’t really made up with Mr. Stark yet. All in all he really wishes he could nap. But right now he was stuck on the subway for the next hour, because he stupidly missed his stop and now has turn back around again. 

“Hon? Are you okay?” Peter’s Internal suffering was interrupted by a kind voice. He looked up to see two old women sitting across from him. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you though.” He replied quietly. 

“Really? Because when I’m fine, I don’t usually wince everytime I take a breath.” The woman on the left says as she digs through her bag for something. 

“Oh Linda, leave the boy alone, can’t you see he’s had a tough day already without your nagging.” The other one returned. “But really, you can tell us what’s wrong. We’re so old we’ll probably forget by tomorrow.” She joked. 

“Uh yeah. Rough day is all. I’ll be okay.” Peter responded rolling his sweatshirt into a ball so he could use it as a makeshift pillow against a pole. He laid down and closed his eyes hoping it would be the end of the conversation.

“Okay. But if you want to talk we’re right here.” 

“Dear lord Ruth! Give it a break the kid doesn’t want to talk! 

“Actually.” Might as well talk, if he’s going to be stuck here anyway. “If you don’t mind I think I’d like to talk about it.” Peter says. 

“Well come over here and spill your guts.” The one that must be Ruth replies. She pats the now empty seat between her and Linda. 

Peter hesitates, but ultimately decides that even if these women had any ill intentions, he would be able to take them in seconds. He settles down between them and starts. 

“Well I knew today wasn’t going to go so great when I woke up 15 minutes late for school, but it all went downhill from there. First I spilled coffee all over myself on my way into class. Then my teacher called on me to go first to present my speech in class, only for me to realize I forgot it at home, so I had to make it up on the spot. Then I dropped my lunch. THEN I’m in history and stupid Flash has to bump into me just right, so that my ribs jab into my desk. And to top it all off me and my..umm uh-Dad got into a fight the other day and I hate when we fight. Plus I couldn’t fall asleep last night so I really need a nap.” Peter finishes with a sigh. Somehow he felt both better to get everything off his chest and worse for pinning it onto strangers. 

“Aw Honey it’s okay. That Flash kid is just a bully and we all spill food on ourselves one and a while. Right Lin?” Ruth says. 

“Ugh you’re a menace!” Linda responds. “And things will work out between you and your father. You just have to give it time. And if that kid keeps bothering you make fun of his name.” Linda adds. Getting a quiet laugh out of Peter. 

“As for the nap thing. Why don’t you lay down on us. We’ll wake you when it gets to your stop.” 

“I can’t do that to you guys. That’d be rude.” 

“Oh rude shmood. We’re old women taking care of kids is like ingrained into our bodies.” Linda argues and moves his head so it is laying in her lap, Ruth does the same thing with his feet. He quietly tells them his stop and relaxes when Linda covers his head with her scarf to block the light. 

When he wakes up half an hour later. They exchange phone numbers and the women tell him to call them anytime and that he is welcome to visit them anytime he wants. He thanks them profusely and tells them he will. They go their separate ways and when Peter looks at his phone he sees that they put their number in under ‘Subway Grandmas’. Peter can’t think of the last time he ever got to call someone Grandma. He likes it. 

+1 

Peter had been feeling weird for awhile. Like he was being watched. Everytime he went on patrol he couldn’t get his Spidey sense to stop going off. It was getting really annoying and he just wants it to end. 

Because right now he’s trying to stake out a potential crime ring, but he can’t concentrate. And even if he could he’s now so jumpy that every little noise sets him off. 

Like what was that rustling? A cat? A murderer? 

Peter can’t tell anymore and it’s driving him crazy. So he just decides to gives up and go home for the night. 

When he woke up the next day it was to a text that, needless to say scared the sh*t out of him. 

It was a pictures of him in all different places. Some of him in the suit, some in the suit without the mask, some of him just when he was hanging out with friends. But what scared him the most was the words at the bottom.

‘I know who you are Peter Parker, and if you want your identity to stay secret you are going to listen to me.’ 

What are you supposed to do when you get threats? Peter thought. Go to the police. That’s right, but he can’t because that would mean revealing his identity to even more people. Peter was stuck. So he did the only thing he could do. He called the number. In retrospect that may have been a bad idea. 

Because now he had a choice to make. Either have his identity revealed or never be Spider-man again. 

He contemplated his options for hours. The generous stalker had given him until the end of the day to make his choice. 

If he gave up Spider-man he could never protect New York again, but if he gave up his identity he would also be giving up the safety of everyone he knew. 

‘With great power comes great responsibility’ 

There really only is one option isn’t there. A world where MJ, Ned, May, Mr.Stark or even the Subway Grandmas aren’t safe is one he doesn’t want to live in, he decides. 

*****

“If you choose this, this is the end, Spider-man.” The man says. “No more leaping off buildings, no more helping people cross the street, There is no going back after this, are you sure?” 

‘If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it.’ 

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” Peter replies as he looks at his suit one last time.


End file.
